Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains (2013)

RENALDO69

Moving Mountains have always been one of those calm, smooth-tempo bands whose music I've thoroughly enjoyed. The emotion and soothing vibe that Gregory Dunn evokes on the mic clicks through and through and their self-titled album, their third full-length at that, proves their most grasping without doing anything extravagantly different.

The flair and flashiness is something I'm glad Moving Mountains never blend into their records. As a band that seem more bent on substance over style, simple openers like "Swing Set" and "Burn Pile" are sleek yet brilliant emotional narratives. With so much empathy drawn from the get-go, the radio-friendly air of Moving Mountains remains as consistent as ever, and Dunn's wispy, under-his-breath delivery adds gradients of soul. So much soul. His tangential portraits of life, love and relationships are as telling as ever and his style of non-forced delivery is profound, and I can imagine first time listeners allowing the record to resonate.

"Eastern Leaves" and the slightly faster-paced "Hudson" allow room for instrumental variations but in doing so, the simple formula of straightforward indie-alternative is never lost. If you've doused yourself in their previous works, it'd be nice to hear folks sound off on what I'm about to say–this is their most mature record to date. It seems so inherently patient and there's that intrinsic composure in abundance that Dunn has always charmed me with, that flavours the catchy musical dish that is Moving Mountains.

When it swings to the folky pattern on "Chords," you appreciate the little gestures of the group to sway a bit from their usual sound but when it kicks in again, it shows the degree of how simple alternative rock really never lost its essence. Moving Mountains is built on measures of emotional force and with that emotive drive, it's hard to see this record failing.